Alberta (Canada) Camp-Meeting by G. B. Thompson

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Jul 18, 1912

Alberta (Canada) Camp-Meeting

By G. B. Thompson

The annual camp-meeting for Alberta was held in Strathcona, June 20-30. The annual conference was held in connection with this meeting, and the usual business transacted. The utmost unity prevailed in all the work of the conference. The reports rendered by the various departments and the conference laborers showed an encouraging growth. There has been quite an increase in the membership of the conference during the past year. But few changes were made in the officers of the conference for the coming year. Elder C. A. Burman was reelected president.

That conference has raised more than its share of the Fifteen-cent-a-week Fund for foreign missions for the first five months of the year. They are planning to raise their entire quota for the year.

The attendance of our people was very good. The conference has grown until it has over seven hundred Sabbath-keepers. About three hundred fifty of these attended the meeting. There were some encamped on the ground who were not Sabbath-keepers, but had become interested in our views.

The territory of the Alberta Conference covers a vast area, and some came quite a long distance. Services were held in three languages, English, German, and Scandinavian. Some Russians were present, and there was a call for meetings in this language, but none could be arranged, for lack of an interpreter. There is now one Russian church in the conference.

A revival spirit was present throughout the meeting. The Lord especially blessed on both the Sabbaths. Some gave their hearts to God for the first time, and began the observance of the Sabbath. A spirit of consecration took possession of all on the ground, and a good work was wrought among the young people. Twelve or more were to be baptized the last day of the meeting; others will be baptized in the home churches.

The academy at Lacombe is doing an excellent work. Over one hundred students attended it last year. That school lies close to the hearts of the fathers and mothers whose children are receiving the blessing of a Christian education there. After considering the needs of that school, about four thousand dollars in cash and pledges was raised with which to erect an additional building, and to complete the ones already erected. This, it is hoped, will provide the necessary buildings, and leave but a nominal debt resting upon the school. The Spirit of God was very richly manifested during that session, showing that Heaven approved the steps taken to strengthen the educational work in the conference, and to provide better facilities for the education of the young in that field.

Canada is a country of its own with strong national prejudices. Her laws and customs are different from ours, and are peculiar to the country. For this reason, if for no other, we should have schools in which our young people in Canada can be educated there to labor in that country.

The camp was conveniently located in the city, on the street-car line, and some interest was manifested in the meeting by the citizens. It was planned to leave a strong tent company there for the summer to follow up the interest awakened by the meeting.

Pastor H. S. Shaw, president of the Western Canadian Union, Elders G. F. Haffner, L. H. Christian, J. G. Walker, and A. O. Burrill, Dr. E. P. Hawkins, and the writer attended the meeting from outside the conference, and shared with the local laborers in the burdens and blessings of the meeting.

Alberta is a prosperous country. Edmonton, of which Strathcona is a part, is a growing city. People are locating there faster than houses can be built, and many are living in tents. A liberal spirit characterizes our people in that field, and we are sure that in the future strong financial assistance and many consecrated workers will be sent from that conference to labor elsewhere.

On my return trip I passed through Regina, which the evening before had been visited by a terrific cyclone. The best part of that beautiful, thriving city had been laid in ruins in a few minutes. Large buildings, churches, grain elevators, etc., were overturned, and railway cars were piled in indescribable ruin around the depot. The financial loss reached into the millions, and twoscore or more of the citizens were killed, and several hundred reported wounded. No part of the world is free from destructive judgments. If from these visitations the people will turn to the Lord, the lesson will not be without some value.

G. B. THOMPSON.